Social Media Reviews Season Two
These reviews are from Ksitetv.com, TVFanatic.com and TV.com all from Season Two. The Plague Drawn and Quartered Coronation The Lamb and the Slaughter Blood for Blood Three Queens When the fake royals came into the picture, things became ever more entertaining. Catherine admitting to Mary there was some truth to the story of the tortured family of hat makers brought a chuckle. Mary wisely decided to use the woman masquerading as her to get to the Duke in the area safely. Catherine continued to use every chance she could to act her part. When they admitted they, too, were impostors trying to make a living out of being Catherine and Mary, the Queen Mother was chomping on grapes and winking her agreement with Mary during the conversation -- such good fun from Megan Follows. The unexpected turn of events that Queen Elizabeth had infiltrated Francis' army with Gifford and the imposters was well done. They had no intention of being taken without a fight. Mary: If I learned one thing at French court it's worth keeping a dagger on you. (whips out a dagger) (Catherine whips out a two pronged hair pin) Poison? Catherine: You say that so hopefully now, but sadly it's not. I don't carry poison everywhere! I might accidentally kill myself. Didn't you wish the Mary imposter made her way back to the castle? She would have been so fun to have around. What we received instead was a new relationship between Catherine and Mary, which included Catherine having words with Francis. Catherine: I was reminded today that she's a good fighter to have when your back's against the wall. Whatever is going on, trust her, be honest. If you don't, she'll end up a thousand miles away from you, playing her role out of duty. Francis: And you would care? Catherine: She has a childlike belief that a woman should trust her husband. I find I wish it were true. Francis' apology to Mary didn't quite do the trick. He may have tricked her once with lies, but it won't happen again. She knows that it wasn't the pressures of being a King that caused him to lash out. Catherine suggested Mary have her own life and a place to find solace. I took that to mean another man's arms. Even though Mary and Francis appeared committed once again, the look on her face as she clung to him was of an unhappy woman. Time will tell if they manage to truly find their way back to each other. At least, in the meantime, Catherine is on Mary's side and not accepting of her son's pressure on Mary. Hopefully her continued involvement in their lives will have a positive impact going forward. The side story of Narcisse and Lola was palatable, but not engaging enough. While applauding Lola for wanting her dowry back (that whole situation kills), it is unwise for her to get involved with Narcisse, even if she thinks she somehow has the wits to match his. Lord Narcisse is still holding Francis' reign hostage with the knowledge he has about Henry's death. If Francis shared what he did with Mary, she could counsel Lola to steer clear of Narcisse and wouldn't have to tell her why. If Francis discovers their fraternization, he may want to confide in Lola what he did instead of Mary to keep the man away from his son. That doesn't sound like a good development at all. If he shares what is happening with anyone else but Mary, most especially Lola, it could ruin any progress with Mary even more than the first lie he told. There is a part of Narcisse that looks like a good package from the outside. He is also charming and kind of sexy in a rakish way. Like the impostors, however, he was taking advantage of a broken populace by stealing and murdering to gain assets. That makes him a problem and an unsuitable match for the mother of the King's child whether he stops threatening him or not. The lion's share of the hour belonged to Catherine and Mary and was better for it. This is, after all, a show about Mary Queen of Scots more than any other. It highlights the empowerment of women in a time when there was little to the idea. It makes perfect sense the best scenes would come from the two most powerful women in the Kingdom. Let's see a lot more of them together! Hit the comments. You loved it! I captured all of the greatest moments in Reign quotes, so take a peek. Are you hoping for more between Mary and Catherine? How do you feel about Lola entertaining Narcisse? Are you still worried about Mary and Francis? Let me know. By: Carissa Pavlica}} The Prince of the Blood Yet even with Lola at her most vulnerable, Narcisse still gave her a choice. She could have walked away, but curiosity got the better of her and now she knows Francis' secret. I cannot for the life of me remember if the ladies were in on the action when Mary and Catherine hoped to poison King Henry. If so, that might give Francis some leverage if he learns about Narcisse's feelings for Lola. Narcisse never experienced love, but it seems he's starting to with Lola. Would he consider it a draw if Francis threatened to take Lola from him as Narcisse if threatening everyone else? Then again, Lola is on Narcisse's kill list, if not from a physical standpoint, she would be mentally demolished if Narcisse killed the King's son. Bash finally got to do more than accept orders and leap after them gratefully. He hated his father as much as Francis and vowed to do what he could to help Francis so they could put it all behind them and kill Narcisse. Now that's the kind of sibling relationship we could all use! But ugh -- Kenna wanted to know why slutty Princess Claude wasn't friendly with her and the last thing I expected was that her and Bash used to diddle! They softened the blow a bit when he said he thought at the time he wasn't really Henry's son, but how old was Claude then? She seems barely a child now. Icky icky icky. Does someone understand what's going on with Catherine's visions? Don't yell at me for not having paid attention last season. Were they daughters of hers that Henry had killed? They're freaky as hell and pulling Claude's hair and yanking her head while sleeping was terrifying. Enlighten me, if you will. I don't need Catherine's mind playing tricks on her. She needs to be on her toes for whatever is going to go down with Francis and Mary. I daresay Francis pushed Mary's very last button, but almost on purpose. She kept professing her love for him and desire to stand by him, but when he learned Narcisse has evidence that could implicate Mary and his mother in regicide, he just wanted her gone. Queen Mary: Oh spare me your lies and excuses! You're not the man that I fell in love with and you're not the King I want to rule beside. You are a coward! King Francis: Mary, everything that I have done... Queen Mary: Enough, enough! I gave you a chance, I waited for the man I fell in love with to return, but that man is dead and I am finished waiting for him! King Francis: If that is what you truly believe then perhaps you should return to Scotland. Leave me. Leave France. The look on his face as she walked away was one of relief. She's a distraction he really doesn't need by his side while he fights an enemy that is even more brilliant than his father the King was. Narcisse has a huge arsenal at his disposal and he's not afraid to use any of it against the royals. If Francis isn't worried about Mary, perhaps he can think clearly and then with Bash's help they can rid themselves of Narcisse. Where Lola will wind up in the fallout is anybody's guess. She's kind of wavering between loyalties. It was a pretty big episode. Do you think Mary will lean heavily on Conde going forward, looking to him for even more of what Francis can't give her? Which way will Lola topple? Can Bash help his brother if Claude continues to make waves? By: Carissa Pavlica}} Terror of the Faithful Mary isn't any closer to Conde as a result of her dwindling respect for Francis, but it's hard not to imagine there may come a time when she considers Conde more than a friend. After all, Francis has the ear of Lola, the mother of John Philip|his child]], as well as her hand on her shoulder for comfort and support. After first encouraging Francis to share the truth with Mary, Lola later stops pushing, offering only her support that he is a good man. What's difficult to swallow is how casually Francis accepts Lola's knowledge of what he did, as well as Narcisse's involvement. That makes for a pretty keen setup between Lola and Francis should they desire more than an ear and a tender touch. Lola being on the inside of Francis' secret adds an extra layer of deception between the two and Mary. How can that turn out well? Discovering the reason Catherine has been seeing her dead daughters, fraternal twins who died shortly after birth, is heartbreaking. I suppose we must assume Claude|Claude] has created a barrier between what she did as a child and her mother sending her away to protect herself. She's plucky and rebellious, but eagerly reaching out to her mother in spite of it. The flashbacks to Catherine learning Claude put her twins in danger, ultimately smothering them to death, puts a whole new light on why Claude has not been at court. If she remains at the castle, how long before she recalls what she did? Isn't revisiting the place where you lost a memory a good form of treatment in it's recollection? Bless Bash for trying to protect his half sister. Witnessing Catherine's actions when she confesses to having too many libations could be cause for concern. Here's hoping he doesn't decide to make an issue out of it. The most disturbing moment, above all the terrorist tactics by Catholics and Protestants, and even Catherine's horrific memories of Claude and her |twins, is what went down with Narcisse and Claude. Narcisse might seem like a sexy rogue, but intimating the need for a cape for his lap after Claude sat on it is simply disgusting. There is nothing sexy about that. He claims to love women and have a respect for them when he speaks with Lola. We now know for certain he's nothing more than a pig. Who knows what's coming next? How broken will Mary and Francis become? Will they find themselves in the arms of others again? Can they resist that desire for bodily comfort in the face of their true love for one another? Will Claude marry the Bavarian, William, and have a chance at true happiness? Can she ever be happy living with the suppressed memory from childhood? It's difficult to care so much for the characters, seeing them grow increasingly unhappy. Francis has to let Mary in. He must remember how much better they are together before it's too late. Hit the comments with your thoughts and watch Reign online via TV Fanatic if you've missed any of the season so far. Carissa Pavlica}} Acts of War The bond that began with Mary's pregnancy and fully formed when they were yucking it up with the impostors in their little off-the-road trip has remained. The best and the strongest scenes feature these two powerful women together. There is nothing about a rape that makes a show enjoyable to watch. It's hard to even look back at the hour – to the scene when Narcisse was putting his hand up Claude's skirt, for example – and imagine in which direction they were heading. Mary and Francis are still torn apart by lies. Conde, I think, is a rotten rogue wanting the crown for himself and putting Mary in danger. Narcisse may have redeemed himself, or at least has come to understand his role in matters. Greer and Castleroy are likely in grave danger. Francis and Bash killed someone else for their cause. That's a heck of a lot of unhappiness going around. Where do you fall after this depressing installment? Be sure to read the Reign quotes for a better feel of the tone and then watch Reign online via TV Fanatic. By: Carissa Pavlica}} Mercy Do you have any doubt, despite Greer's love for Castleroy, that she and Leith will rekindle things in the meantime? Narcisse falling into a stumbling wretch of a man willing to place his head on a platter to appease Francis makes no sense given his early character or his thoughts in Reign Season 2 Episode 9 when he felt much of the Protestants' ire was due to his actions. Melting into a pile of worthless goo is improbable. Then we have Catherine. Yes, she's been seeing her daughters for a while now, but to be swayed so deeply by mental illness she chose to kill (or attempt to kill, depending upon how it ends up) her only remaining daughter doesn't fit. Where the hell is Nostradamus when we need him? If ever he was needed, it's now. Catherine is plagued by ghosts, even one in the form of Henry who makes love to her, begging her to accept him back into her life. Is Henry a vampiric ghost who can only pass the threshold into our world when given a formal invitation? Meh. Reign has jumped the shark. This is not where I wanted fierce, strong women to wind up; crazy or running away from love. I'll sit in my disappointment while everyone else revels in Mary's smile at learning of Conde's love for her. We have to wait until the new year for additional episodes, but in the meantime you an make up for it when you watch Reign online via TV Fanatic. See you then! By: Carissa Pavlica}} Getaway She handled the situation really well, all things considered. It was rather jarring to hear Bash describe his new world as one in which lives and lies come second to expedience. He now does whatever it takes to get the job done in the quickest fashion, that's the man she married. He doesn't share that side of himself with her because he's not proud of who he has become. Perhaps if he does share it with her, together they can make sense of it. The whole thing with Catherine and Claude is incredibly confusing. Catherine is half out of her mind, and I no longer believe Claude killed her sisters. When she finally got around to asking her mother if she ever thought maybe, just maybe she was crying when they died because she was sad at the loss, it made sense. Someone, even back then, was making Catherine think Claude did it. Was it Henry? Is Catherine hiding something deep down in her subconscious and that's why these spirits are coming out in her mind? King Henry: Ahh Kenna. With death comes wisdom. What did I ever see in her? Queen Catherine: Well it was her ass. You mentioned it many times. Lady Kenna: Are you talking to me? Queen Catherine: Why would I talk to you? Lady Kenna: You just said something about my ass. Queen Catherine: Not everything is about your ass KENNA. Move it out of the way. Kenna's involvement in outing Catherine's poisoning of Claude was a nice touch. Perhaps she'll be instrumental in discovering who really killed |the twins. She needs a hobby and she's learning the value of evidence from Bash. Why not? Now that she knows what happened with Claude is not a threat, she could reach out and help the girl some more. Francis and Mary were this close to reconnecting, but Mary walked in on Francis crashed on the bed with his son and Lola. It was completely innocent, but with as fractured as Mary is right now, it may be enough to send her in the opposite direction. Hopefully, she'll recall the many trips he made to her room to check on her hearth and how attentive he's been and realize it was just a moment with his son and nothing more. It's time for the two of them to grow together like branches once more. What did you think of the return of Reign? Were you as pleased to see the increased presence of Bash and Kenna as I was? Do you think Catherine is hiding a memory she's unable to deal with? How long before Mary and Francis are in each others arms again? by Carissa Pavlica}} Banished Sins of the Past The End of Mourning Forbidden Tasting Revenge That scene was crushing and Toby Regbo once again made our soul's bleed. It was maddening and romantic. He basically thrust his hand into his own chest, yanked out his still beating heart and laid it at Mary's feet. And all she can say is, "I'm sorry we've come to this." On second thought, "Off with her head!" If she's not careful, she'll be ready to take Francis back and he'll be with her best friend. Lola and Francis are sweet together and genuinely care for one another. They don't share the same kind of fiery passion that Francis and Mary did, but they share friendship, trust and a child. That's a sound foundation. That said, I was glad they decided to respect their mutual love for Mary and not reconnect. For now. As for Lady Amelie, you know that will bite Francis in the butt as some point if only because Narcisse is involved. Now the only happy love story is Leith and Greer and I do enjoy them together. It was interesting to have the shoe on the other foot, where Greer was the one being looked down on for her profession (the oldest profession!) just as she did to Leith long ago. I look forward to seeing where their tale goes, as I'm sure Leith will not want her to continue working as a madam. I for one am enjoying her new life and found her confrontation with "old shrivel" hilarious. They killed my feelings for Sebastian and Kenna as they slowly killed their marriage. Neither one of them has been likeable for quite some time. Both are selfish for their own reasons and that makes it impossible for me to mourn their separation. May they both get new storylines and happiness elsewhere. Finally, I'm very glad to see that Mary learns of Conde's deceit in next week's preview. If the writers don't tread lightly, and start some reparations, they could potentially damage their viewership. I think fans are more than a little frustrated. Yes, we know that true history will eventually send Mary to Scotland and that Francis will eventually die, but for all intents and purposes this is also a fairy tale and once upon a time they made us fall for a King and Queen who shared a storybook passion and love for all time and that's what fans want. It's also true that to keep things interesting there have to be some bumps in the road, and maybe you have to kiss a few frogs, but if things go too far the magic created can be lost and it might be gone forever. Should Reign not write an alternate history and actually kill Francis, I hope it will be an epic Romeo and Juliet send off for him. But, not yet. Not for a long time, I hope. by Carissa Pavlica}} Tempting Fate The agony in Francis' voice when he told Mary that his mother knew of her infidelity gutted me. Here he tells her that he's lied to every member of his family and continues to protect her for her happiness and she does nothing but whine a measly apology. Why the bloody hell can she not see that her selfishness is killing him? And if she does see it, why doesn't she care? I just, I can't.... When Condé finally confessed to Mary that he'd been working both sides, I thought she might finally snap back to her senses. She called him out on the fact that he didn't trust her, that he was protecting himself at every turn. The man is squirrelly as all get out, couldn't even look her in the eye, and finally she was seeing it. Yes! A part of me even felt bad for her because she'd considered him to be her salvation after her assault and here she was finding out how false he was. Surely, she'd look at Francis with new eyes now. Ha! I adored Lola and her pep talk to Mary. That's the kind of best friend everyone should have. She reminded Mary of the kind of strength she's always possessed. You could see it visibly have an affect on the Queen. I got teary, I cheered on the inside and then Lola blew it. Why oh why did she tell Mary to forgive Condé and take him along? Sigh. Lola, you were my hero until that moment and now I'm peeved at you too. We had to know that Bash would get hurt sometime and end up in the healer's hands. I'm just afraid the cost of his life, might be his brother's. At the very least, he will think it was. One nice thing to come from Lola's chat was seeing Mary step back into her power when she threatened Burgess. One bad thing to come from Lola's chat was seeing Mary step into Condé's bed. When Mary said, "I will spill blood to defend what's mine," I never imagined it would be Francis' blood. But shed it she has. She has defended her needs, her happiness, her life with no regard for his. I want her to be empowered, to reclaim herself after her awful assault. She needs to feel safe, to feel whole, to feel happy. But Francis was not the man who raped her and yet in some ways she's treated him as though he did. Yes, his poor judgment left her vulnerable and that's what led to her being attacked, but does that mean she should show him no regard for the love they shared before, for the sacrifices he's made, for his unyielding loyalty, for his selflessness, for his pain? It's maddening. One thing caught me greatly off guard and that was Catherine's defense of Mary. She actually has grown to love her daughter-in-law and she may lose her son because of her. Seeing Francis, ears bleeding, made my stomach sink. If the show is going to veer from reality it'll have to do it now as the real Francis died from an ear infection. Considering the current trajectory of the show, I'm not holding my breath. If you missed the tragic turn of events, watch Reign online. Not sure how much more I can take. Hearing Catherine say, "I never imagined that you would kill him by breaking his heart," in next week's preview is almost too much to bear by Carissa Pavlica}} Abandoned Now to fallen women: You had to love how Kenna and Lola didn't bat an eyelash when Greer told them about her new occupation. In fact, Kenna seemed so delighted I was just waiting for her to ask Greer to share all the juicy details and inside stories from the brothel. Frankly, I want those stories too! Leash, smeash, we've all heard of that kind of proclivity. That said, I did think it a wee bit ridiculous that they headed over there again during prime business hours to give their bestie a bolt of cloth. Sure, they might be curious and even titillated by their access to this new world, but they are still ladies who need to maintain their reputations. Funny that it was Narcisse who reminded Lola of that. Speaking of Narcisse, I like him with Catherine, but damn if he and Lola aren't twice as steamy chemistry wise. I'd like to see that particular dalliance finally take shape, but now that Catherine knows of his attraction to Lola one of the two is going to fall prey to her jealousy. Will she target Lola or Narcisse? Yes, Narcisse is likely using her for his own gain, but she uses him too so my money is on something bad happening to Lola at Catherine's hands. Girl better watch her back. Sharp as he is, I thought Narcisse was way too obvious in setting up Condé. I'm not surprised that scam fell flat. Francis could've pushed his power and had him charged with treason, but it would've only made things worse with Mary. But undoing the wedding was a stroke of genius. Who did that? If Catherine and Narcisse are to be believed it was neither of them. I think that may be true as they seemed a little too shocked and, as Narcisse said, it went above and beyond anything they'd put into motion. Which makes me wonder who the third party could be. Would Francis make that move? Part of me thinks there's no way he would do that, but another part of me says he's reached an enough is enough stage. It seems to me that as long as the wedding papers are never found Elizabeth can't claim his throne, but Condé could be found a traitor. Then too, maybe it was Elizabeth. Could be she didn't like being a sloppy second and got her vengeance. But doing that would seem to eliminate her in to France. by Carissa Pavlica}} Fugitive The Siege * Smart Lola. She's been a bit absent of late, but tonight she was at her best. I love that she believes Narcisse is capable of being so much more than he allows himself to be and that she knew exactly why he'd humiliated her in the first place. * Leith and Claude. Rose Williams is amazing as the petulant, flirty and entitled Claude. She plays her with such sass and aplomb, but sometimes the theatrics are wearing. I'm enjoying the softer and more mature side that Leith brings out in her. * Horse meat. Sure, it's absolutely "ew!" But that Catherine would do something so cruel and diabolical to keep Narcisse was just delicious. (Okay, maybe that's a poor choice of words.) * Crazy Catherine. She professed her love, admitted to doing this heinous thing and then basically threatened Narcisse's life should he ever try to leave her or betray her again. She even told him it's all his fault as he's the one who made her love him. That's right, she went full on Fatal Attraction and outdid Glenn Close. Rabbit schmabbit. * Narcisse and Catherine. I could've watched that dinner scene between Craig and Megan Follows over and over again. They were ELECTRIC! Passionate and poisonous. They truly are equals. Watching the actors go toe-to-toe in this scene, seeing the give and take between them, they are the true royalty and this scene was one of the greatest in the series. Rant or Rave - that is the question? You know what this brings me to...that final scene with Mary. Now you might expect me to be crazy upset by her seeming betrayal, but I'm going to hold any judgment until next week. It's my hope that this is actually some kind of ploy she's using against Conde, to save Francis for a change. Why do I think so? One, she seemed shocked and moved that despite everything Francis had been willing to give up his reign and his life for her. Two, she said, "And real love never fades, not truly." I know she said those words to Conde, but I think she was speaking them about Francis. Next week should reveal the truth. by Carissa Pavlica}} Burn Then there's Bash who's getting lucky left and right, which might explain what's he's thinking with. Get a clue, buddy. Love: Catherine getting exiled! Stripped of her title, income and home. What will she do, where will she go? Maybe Greer's? Kidding. I love that she went balls to the wall and proposed a deal to Elizabeth. How will they collaborate? I suspect as merciful as Francis is he won't keep his mother indefinitely locked out. We only got Elizabeth for a second, but what a saucy second it was. I want more! Frary is back! This one is a little mixed for me though. Much as I wanted this (and I so wanted this) their reunion seemed rushed and I would really like to have heard Mary tell Francis why she finally came to her senses. It would've been nice to see them slowly falling back in love again. Not that I wanted it dragged out necessarily, but it just seemed like a quick about face. That said, hearing Francis say he's dying was heartwrenching so I'll take them as long as I can. Final thoughts: The performances across the board tonight were stellar and riveting. Toby Regbo shredded me. He was magnificent in every scene, vacillating between triumph, rage, devastation and tenderness with masterful ease. It's impossible to take your eyes from him and he elevates the performances of his counterparts. One plus I can imagine from Francis' eventual death would be seeing Regbo's career take off as it deserves to do. Kudos also need to go to Adelaide Kane and Sean Teale as they demonstrated great emotional depth and impact. And Megan Follows is just as flawless as ever. I can't wait to see where next season takes her. by Carissa Pavlica}} Related Pages Category:Reign Category:Season 2 Category:Reviews Category:Fandom Category:Media